The 'post-stressor fatigue crash'

You know that thing where you have a busy or stressful patch, and seem to cope with it fine...until the stressor stops - and then it all hits at once?

That.

With chronic illnesses/disabilities, it's easy to understand how overdoing it can give us a fatigue crash, and acute stressors can worsen symptoms. But it's not so obvious that a stressor that we've been apparently coping ok with can cause an avalanche of symptoms when it is removed.

I am SO glad that I knew my body does this otherwise I'd have been totally panicked by my symptoms this week!

My house has been on the market for several months - meaning paperwork and phone-calls, keeping the house ridiculously tidy, and having people round to view it at times that work for them. It's been a huge energy drain.

I've done my absolute best to pace - taking extra half-day breaks when my rest days got interrupted, adjusting the times of my usual activities (and reducing some) to maximise coping. And being as relaxed as I could about it - when it's the right time, my house will sell.

At times I curled up and cried with the overwhelm and exhaustion and unrelenting-ness of it. But I'd got better at coping and managing the conflicting demands on my time.

Then on Monday morning I had a viewing, and they were definitely going to put an offer in. So still various steps to get through, but mentally...my brain just went "Awesome, the 'I need to sell the house' stressor is gone. Now I can recharge."

Oh. My. Word.

I could barely keep my eyes open for the rest of Monday. And I was floppy, uncoordinated, and unable to concentrate for days.

I did almost nothing except eat, and sleep, and maybe a total of an hour of essential tasks spread throughout the day for 3 days.

I find it wryly amusing that I felt kinda nice and relaxed. (and obviously very happy to have sold) But also completely unable to do stuff. It was as if my body and brain have decided I'm on holiday, and in a safe space. Given me a forced time out.

If I really tried, I could probably force myself to do stuff, but I decided I need this break. Especially as the next phases of moving will be challenging too. So I've been wholeheartedly agreeing with my body and my brain every time I felt like I needed a rest. There's been a LOT of watching the red kites outside my window, and enjoying the mass or roses on my trellis. And Audiobooks in my better patches.

And now: I'm starting to emerge. This post-stressor fatigue crash will pass, with gentleness and time.